ChuckTV.net The CHUCK archive
Written by Ali Adler
Directed by Jeremiah Chechik
Identity.
‘Everything you think and feel. Even your innate reflexes have to change.’
So Sarah and Shaw inform Chuck as he is prepped to take the place of hitman – Rafe(as wraith as in ghost) Gruber. Being a spy has a heavy price. Taking on the identity of another person is much more than that of merely playing a part. The immersion into a new persona has to be all encompassing. Your own identity has to be submerged. One slip could cost lives.
Do enough of these covers for long enough and you begin to lose who you really were. Or are. This is the subtext which runs through Chuck Vs The Fake Name. In this episode we are clearly shown the opposite paths that Chuck and Sarah are running on. Chuck is losing himself while Sarah is desperately trying to retain her identity. Something she was able to do when she had Chuck as her anchor.
‘I can pass for an cold blooded killer.’
For Chuck, the game is still so new and his desire to become a spy is so strong that he does not yet see the downside. He does not see that he is losing those intangibles that made him the person to whom Sarah was attracted to in the first place. Chuck is on so much of a tunnel vision express he cannot see how it is affecting his relationships with his family and friends.
All around Chuck are warning signs like the Ellie/Hannah encounter, the dinner he did not prepare, the lies he is telling to Hannah, his total ignorance of the state of his friendship with Morgan, and even the fact that he is dating Hannah, a civilian, in the first place. He is very much a person with blinders on. Unaware of the consequences that inevitably will arise.
‘The way he lies to Hannah. Lives are being affected.’
Sarah sees Chuck doing and saying things in the real and spy world that are stripping away the better parts of him. There is a price to these actions and we see one of the results when Chuck breaks up with Hannah. The hurt and the pain he has unwittingly inflicted on Hannah are the actions of a person that Chuck would have never sanctioned before. Now he has become that person and Hannah rightly calls him on it. He is no longer that nice guy.
‘I barely remember who I am anymore.’
For Sarah being an alias goes even further than that. She has been in the game for so long now that her grasp on who she is, is slipping away. Just the simple act of saying her real name now feels unnatural. When you reach that point the sense of loss must be great indeed. For names have power. Names are the tool by which people are identified.
With Chuck being so focused on becoming a spy, Sarah has lost the anchor she was using to cling onto. In a revelatory moment Chuck overhears Sarah telling Shaw all of this. It is a paralleling of Chuck’s speech to Sarah in the vault back in Chuck Vs The Three Words. If nothing else Shaw has become Sarah’s confidant. A sounding board for her concerns. With Shaw, Sarah has someone who can understand the issues that spies deal with when they are living the lie. They have both been there and back again. Chuck has not.
Episode Flashes:
- Casey sniping the assassin with a tranq dart
- Chuck sliding down the Castle rail bringing donuts
- Chuck’s first crush Mrs. Seaver – the mom from Growing Pains
- Chuck flashing on Alex Coburn in regards to Casey – someone else with an alias?
- Casey’s urging Chuck on to torture him by taking out his tooth
- Chuck’s reaction to the torture tools – ‘Is this stuff sterile?’
- Casey telling Chuck how proud he is at Chuck’s ability to play the part
- Sarah’s cheese knife throw
- Hannah’s toast during dinner coupled with Sarah’s reaction to watching it
- gangsters voicing fan concerns and giving Chuck relationship advice
- Casey sniping the assassin for real; making the shot only 5 other people could do
- Chuck and Ellie talking as brother and sister
- Hannah calling Chuck on being a very good liar and not being a nice guy
- Sarah trying to create something real
This is a strong episode that features great performances by the leads. Zac kicked ass inhabiting the role of a hitman with zeal bringing menace and humor to the role. He was equally adroit at handling character moments most of which involved painful revelations. It was great to see Chuck and Ellie share a brother and sister moment again too.
Yvonne turned in another stand out performance and continues to express Sarah’s struggles not just in dialogue but through her amazing ability to emote through body language and facial cues.
Adam Baldwin was badass as Casey. Again. The revelation that he too has a potential alias will no doubt have payoff further along. The respect that John Casey has for Chuck’s abilities as a spy was most welcome to see.
The BuyMore stuff was a mixed bag. While Jeff and Lester being perplexed by Chuck’s prowness with the fairer sex is in line with their characters their use as a Greek Chorus to point out the magic of Chuck and Sarah’s relationship did not work for me. Those two are the BuyMore equivalent of snipers. Using them for them for meta statements was a choice due to the budget restrictions the show is under but that moment would have worked much better using Morgan and Big Mike instead. Or better yet, dropped altogether. In contrast, the use of the gangsters to discuss, ‘Will they? Won’t they?’ relationships and give Chuck relationship advice was a hoot and a humorous wink to the fans.
‘I thought you were a nice guy!’
Chuck has hit rock bottom. The pain he inflicted on Hannah and the revelations from Sarah have been a hard slap of reality. Chuck is positioned to find his way back. But what a difficult balancing act it will be to keep his identity and yet be able to function successfully in the spy world.
Ali Adler has written another great episode.  Chuck and Sarah are struggling in unfamiliar territory. They are making mistakes and are searching to find the right answers. Never have the two of them been more vulnerable; more human; more real.
I love that.
I stopped DVRing season three because it is so bad. I liked the first few episodes and then the show devolved into a incomprehensible mess.
Your loss IMHO.
Gee, even WALL-E had to go thru heartbreaks before he gor EV-A!
Then why are you still visiting the site?
Great article as usual, Lou! 🙂 I will admit, I feared this episode, especially after the way 3.07 ended, and a three week break. My fears were greatly unfounded, however, and this heartwrenching episode was incredible beyond my wildest imagination. Even with the tough material that was covered, painful for many to see our heros in such fragile, broken states. Both of them making choices that we know are wrong for them and will put them both through pain but ultimately necessary to push them forward. Ali Adler did an extraordinary job of writing this in a believable fashion that allowed the progress to be made while still portraying to the audience just how much these two broken characters truly mean to each other. Bravo.
The comic bits were superb, and greatly needed to break up the heavier drama being explored in the episode. I know I rave about Yvonne’s emoting abilities often, but I have to give both she and Zac mad props for their acting in this episode. They were both at the top of their game. In fact, everything was clicking this episode. As emotionally challenging as it was, and it really demonstrated how great Chuck can be.
“Only 5 people in the world could make that shot … guess I’m one of them!”
You just gotta LOVE Casey!
Better would have been “Now only 4 people in the world could make that shot…”
lol i was thinking the same thing
Another good line, “He’s a Chuck-magnet”!
Man, I can’t believe I missed the MAJOR point of Chuck adopting the identity of Raif so readily and easily. [I’m slapping my forehead, again.] I should *always* watch each episode several times before thinking I get it.
Excellent review. You really made me think and see a few things I had missed. Again Great writeup. I have read a couple of reviews that made me wonder if the person writing it even watched the same show or if they had ever watched it before or if they really should be writing any kind of review of anything. This review on the other hand has deep insight and gave serious thought into what we all saw. Thanks
Excellent review. You have succinctly what I would have hoped to articlate. Yvonne is a rising talent and you capture that in your review. Thank you
mark
I loved using Jeff, Lester and Big Mike as a greek chorus. Using Morgan in that scene would have just rubbed the salt deeper into his wounded heart. I’m glad he was away for this episode and not present to see Chuck and Hannah making out all over the sales floor. (What job allows employees to do that? LOL)
The Buy More trio served as a sounding board to remind the audience that Chuck has romanced Jill, Lou and Hannah. (Yet many fans get upset at Sarah for just kissing Cole.) Sarah has told Chuck again and again that their relationship can’t work. Chuck and Sarah are both horrible at romance. Then the trio pipes up with the fact that Sarah is the light in Chuck’s eyes. If even these bozos can figure it out, it’s hysterical to me that two highly intelligent people like Chuck and Sarah cannot.
Plus, the Buy More trio had some great lines and great laughs. My favorite line was from Lester: ‘Jeffrey if you double dip we could all die!’ As has been pointed out on other boards, the use of a slow cooker also symbolizes the slow burn of Chuck/Sarah’s relationship.
Ellie seemed more like herself tonight for the first time in ages. For that the epiosde earns an “A” in my book.
Another great line from Lester “I’m so lonely”
I thought the Greek chorus scenes were cheesy, hardly believable, and unnecessary. Never in a million years would Jeff make a comment about the twinkle in Chuck’s eyes when he’s with Sarah. They could have used those precious minutes to improve the episode, like say, show what happens between Chuck, Shaw, and Sarah after Casey caps Rafe. I find it incredible how they just cut to the Chuck/Ellie conversation, as if they just walked away from Shaw’s apartment like nothing awkward happened.
Don’t let plot holes like that ruin the ticker tape parade being thrown at an episode that succeeded in not being terrible. The episode was a far cry better than Mask…but that’s a low bar to climb over. Don’t worry, multiple episodes of making many fans dislike the characters is gonna be redeemed/explained away by a couple scenes towards season’s end.
JLR,
You are wise indeed.
Josh managed to blow out literally everybody I introduced the show to within the first couple Shaw episodes.
I agree. I’m amazed so many of you liked this episode. I feel it was possibly the worst episode in the series history. My wife hated it as well. The show better improve quickly or all the advertising and promotions we all did to save the show will have been for nothing.
I agree with you, Sarah and Chuck needed a scene that recognized the importance of her revealing her name–with emphasis on why whe she revealed it to Shaw so quickly when she had never revealed it to Chuck in the past three years. I can’t believe they will just drop this issue, so maybe in the next episode?
long time reader! Thanks for the site
@John
I can buy that Chuck got out of dodge after Casey pulled the kill shot. I think since the situation called for a longer duration then what we would have saved by cutting the geek chorus from the episode. I trust that we will have a more indepth debrief in the next episode relating to the events that transpired in Shaw’s room.
I am somewhat surprised that no one commented on the ferocity of Shaw’s counter attack on Chuck.
Great review. The paths both are taking are so divergent…it will take yoeman like work on the part of the writers to get them to believable “common ground”. I don’t think it is –or at least should be–a one or two episode journey. I mean, the issues confronting C are fresh…S is dredging up long buried issues…issues for which there can’t be pat solutions…at least from what I saw during this past episode. I am very interested to see how they resolve all this.
By the way…despite all the early chatter…I think this is the best episode of the season so far. And while I’m not always fan of this device…I did like breaking the 4th wall (for me it worked because of the cartoon gangsters) regarding WTWT.
Didn’t Sarah want Chuck to go on the run just months earlier though. One big lie that would’ve hurt everyone in his life that he loved. In particular Ellie who probably would’ve never recovered.
I am really surpised by how many people are in an uproar over the events of this season. I think season 3 is phenominal. There are so many story lines to follow with “the ring”, and Awesome in on Chuck’s secret, Morgan as Asst, manager, Shaw, ect. This whole Shaw thing really has me thinking. How is he connected to the ring? What was the intel that was discovered by the team? How did a ring op recognize Casey by an alias? And why is Shaw constantly trying to, though cleverly, breakup Team Bartowski? Yet everyone wants to focus on Sarah, er Sam and Chuck. First off, come on people. There’s NO WAY they don’t eventually end up together. But we realize that while opposites attract, a lasting love is built on common ground, beliefs, and understanding. Yes, early on, Chuck was curious if not attracted to the daring and confident Sarah and that exciting life, though he saw himself as too much of a loser to be a spy himself. As Awesome said when he found out, “I knew you weren’t just a loser at the Buymore”. But, he was, til that e-mail from Bryce. He now wants to be the person Awesome,Casey, General Beckman, and yes Sarah looks up to. This season he’s understanding her backround, of how you have to lose yourself to be the spy. He’s gaining her perspective. We still need Sarah to get Chuck’s perspective. The last episode was the first time Sarah ever mentioned a normal life for herself. It’s always been about Chuck getting HIS life back. Even her plan to run away was not to live a normal life, but undercover and on the lam. She still has a way to go, but we are getting closer. One of the extras in the season 1 DVD, the creators mentioned they didn’t just have a pilot, but rather the first 5 years mapped out for this show. Chuck and Sarah WILL end up together, but only when they can build their life on solid, common ground. Let’s enjoy ALL the story lines while these two sort things out, huh?
you the man Russ!!!! sadly some people are watching the show just to see Chuck and Sarah together, and since they’re not seeing it happen yet, they’re all about not watching the show.. of course we know they WILL be together, but it’s all about the ride, about getting to that point.. so i couldn’t agree with you more!!! this season, though painful at times, is just amazing!!! thank you for being one (of not enough) voice of sanity!
absolutely chuck and Sarah will end-up together, no two words.At the end of the day Chuck/Sarah will be together but i doubt that millions of fans can forgive and forget the mess & the mischief they are up to, currently.
*in epi 3*07 and 3*08 we saw that the assassins were after Shaw, even then Sarah decided to make a move with Shaw may be coz Sarah knows sooner or later Shaw will be dropped, then she’s having her backup plan(chuck) waiting to pick her if she falls…..the question is a woman who’s ready to fall for any special agent is she worthy to be with awesome guy like chuck? even if those to get to gather can chuck trust her?…..i hope writers will have some genuine answers for these two questions in the coming epis
*Without always BLAMING CHUCK i suggest the writers must go ahead with chuck and Hannah, and teach a good spy lesson to Sarah, that even a spy can live an ordinary life.even though Sarah was not on that concept, then to be frank we can have chuck season 10 as well…LONG LIVE CHUCK.
*Till season 3*o6 i was a solid Sarah walker fan but know Hannah coz Sarah walker not only she has hurt chuck but me too.
*To be frank the reason why chuck trying to be a spy coz he knows only way that he can be with Sarah is only by changing to be a spy.so after all the dedication that chuck has done for her if she cling on to some other good looking guy,,,,,,it’s very painful for fans.
*By the way i don’t blame BRENDON ROUTH(shaw)for any of these coz he lives up to his reputation. Any stance he does he’s always a THIRD PARTY CHAP….(guy who bring pain to another guy+fans) he is a specialist in that area…….i like that:))))))
I 100% agreee with everything you say!!! Man, if we all had your mindset…this season is absolutely terrific…the writers are thinking outside the box on this one and i just know these few episodes of grinding my teeth are just going to pay off later into the season 😀 Cannot wait for more Chuck!!!!!
excellent point if chuck and sarah got together now what would happen is chuck would turn into the OC….nobody wants that at least i dont the writers and actors are doing a great job keep it up
“Yet everyone wants to focus on Sarah, er Sam and Chuck. First off, come on people. There’s NO WAY they don’t eventually end up together.” – You should check out Smallville and The O.C.,some of us are watching the show because of Chuck and Sarah.
You hit the nail on the head Russ!When Chuck told Devon that he is spy and Devon replied; I knew you’re not a loser at buymore Chuck.Them words hurt Chuck more than any one will ever know, because Devon felt that way about Chuck for a while. If Devon didn’t mean it he never would have thought of it.
Chuck has gotten tired of being labeled as a looser but not being a man
He chose to be a spy and all he ever wanted from Sarah is her Freindship and support.
First of all great epsiode and great article Lou. Russ like minds think a like and I agree with you some of the shipperes or so-called fans of the show are so fixated with the whole C/S relationship saga that their only reason for watching the show. They are so focus with tunnel vison right now they’re missing everything else around them
Chuck needs to see from Sarah’s perspective that you have to loose yourself to be a spy.Sarah needs to get Chuck’s perspective. She is slowly coming around but she has a long way to go and then Chuck and Sarah can work together as Spy partners and equals.
For the fist time that Sarah ever metioned a normal life for herself. that what happens when you been living a lie as long as she has, you start to lose your onw identity.
I’ve just had a thought, at the end of episode 8 when Sarah leaves castle to get Shaw some food, she goes to the Buy More first?
What if she actually went to see Chuck but he wasn’t there, so she decided to return to Shaw.
Good article again Lou. I thought it odd that the hole in Rafe’s head (exit wound) was so small and no blood on Sarah / Sam. Another Chuck foopa. I still watch the show anyway it’s a fun show.
Great review. Amazing ep. Can’t wait for more!
What a difference one episode makes. From a poorly-written and contrived one to a wonderfully-written and AFFECTING one. This episode actually dealt with the emotions in a real and mature way. Nothing was shoehorned and even Sarah’s rebound with Shaw made sense.
Very well said. Sorry Chuck, but yeah, you had your chance and blew it. For now, at least. 😉
In reference to John assertion that Jeff would never in a million years make a comment about the twinkle in Chuck’s eyes when he’s with Sarah, I simply point out that in Chuck vs. The Best Friend (S02E14) Jeff, while trying to get an audition for Ellie and Awesome’s wedding, tells Awesome that Lester “has a voice that makes angels cry”. Also later in the same episode Jeff tells Lester “partnership is trust” and not to sing for himself but to do it for Jeff. So Jeff character has used this type of emotionally sensitive dialogue before.
As to the Geek Chorus, as its being called, I felt it was very humorous. On another level though I felt it was a sounding board of fan concerns regarding Chuck and Sarah’s possible future together. It reminded us that Shaw and Hannah are not the first obsticles they have encountered and probable won’t be the last. However, after each obsticle is cleared they seem to get closer.
Don’t count on Shaw being a double agent, its too obvious. More than likely Shaw will be killed off by the Ring saving Chuck.
I think Shaw will survive…rumor has it he remains connected to Chuck.
I think Shaw has jealousy issues which will be healed by Chuck, even after Sarah breaks up with Shaw to mend things with Chuck.
And Shaw only got 1/3 the prize: the first name. Sarah has yet to reveal her middle and last names, so Chuck will get the full prize.
Actually Shaw and Chuck are even on the “real name” issue. One could actually argue that Chuck is ahead of Shaw. As we all saw Sarah revealed to Shaw that her first name is Sam. Chuck overheard this revelation. However, we cannot forget that at the end of Chuck vs. the Wookie (S02E14) Chuck begs her to tell him her name- if not her first then her middle name. After Chuck walks to the otherside of the room Sarah wispers that her middle name is Lisa. During this episode it is unclear whether Chuck hears this or not because he doesn’t react. Later in Chuck vs. The Lethal Weapon (S02E16),at the end of the episode, Chuck flip over his Tron poster to reveal a diagram drawn on the back consisting of all the information he has been able to put together regarding the Intersect, Fulcrum, Sarah, and Casey. If you pause it when the picture of Sarah is shown, one of the facts listed is that her middle name is Lisa. So Chuck did in fact hear her. That puts Chuck at 2/3 of the prize.
Damn i gotta pull out the bluray and look i never noticed that thanks
Where is General Beckman? I don’t like the way Shaw has replaced her. I hope Shaw gets the boot soon and Beckman is back on her screen where she belongs.
Shaw may be a Ring agent. He may also be CIA sent in by Beckman to test the durability of the Chuck-Sarah partnership before the agency invests too much in them. Sarah needs to know and has to get close to him for that. In addition, she can’t save Chuck from the harshnesses of spy life now that Shaw is here micro-managing and pulling the two of them apart, so now the only way she can exert any influence is through Shaw. For that reason also she needs to get close to Shaw. I don’t buy the whole “Sam” thing. The episode was called “the Fake Name” after all. She went ballistic when Chuck discovered her “Jenny Burton” alias. Why would she tell Shaw, who she’s known for mere weeks, her real name? Because Shaw was getting suspicious of her moping in front of the closed circuit feed of Chuck & Hannah dining with Devon & Ellie. When Shaw asked her if she was OK with the Chuck & Hannah thing, she had to think fast, and gave up a fake name. He seemed to buy it since it led to a quick kiss. Not sure about Chuck though. Seems his reaction was one of outrage mixed with that of skepticism. Great Ep by the incomparable Ali Adler!
Sam is Sarah’s real name; Ali Adler confirmed it to a fan.
Sarah had no one to speak to, and was hurting after seeing Hannah take her spot at the dinner with Ellie and Awesome, and that’s why she jumped into Shaw’s arms. She used to have Chuck as her anchor to reality, so she needed a way to force Shaw to fill that role, and hence she told him the real name. She didn’t really want to tell Shaw that, he was lucky to be in earshot when Sarah was really hurting, that’s all.
Just look at the end scene when Sarah brought Shaw dinner. She brought him food from the Bamboo Dragon, where her first real date with Chuck was. It’s also the place where Chuck took Sarah for their first night with Morgan. She also bought the crocker pot from Buy More, another Chuck-related thing. In Sarah’s mind, she is seeing Shaw as Chuck. She will be disappointed and sadly, both will be hurt.
On another note, we have seen 2 instances of Shaw expressing jealousy through violence: first by punching out Gruber, the second by choking Chuck. Interestingly, even after Sarah told Shaw to stop, he would not. I expect this behavior to get worse as the season progresses.
I didn’t know if I was the only one who picked up on the Bamboo Dragon food, I wasn’t sure if it was intentional. And I agree with your post, its a really good explanation for Sarah’s actions right now.
Good points, SB. One other thing I liked about the Chuck-Shaw donnybrook is that Chuck didn’t need to flash. Granted he got his arse pummelled but that was all Chuck.
I’ll agree with you Sarah Bartowski! Sarah at this point is a emotinal wreck she did not have no-one to talk to about Chuck’s dual life and how his lies and secrets in the real world has effected his friends and family. Shaw has become her anchor in reality unfortunaly.
There is a lesson to be learned from this episode!That lies and secrets will catch up with you sooner or later and the ones who’ll get hurt the most is the people you care about.
Chuck’s willingnest to be a spy is strong and he so new at this that he did not realize there’s a downside to the spy world and the lies and secrets that you bring from the spy world to the real world will have tragic results. His inability to seperate about what’s is real and what’s fake in the spy world has gotten Chuck in this mess.
By the way Shaw is expressing jealousy through violence first Rafe then choking Chuck over Sarah of course and it going to get worse as the season goes on.
i agree that sarah lied on the name sam. it could be because i have been watching the show since the very beginning but she does seem like a sarah.
shoe could be using her real name because casey uses his ( Vs Santa Clause, casey calls home and anwsers Johnny Boy) mabye the have a rotaition of names and every mission it changes but you come back to it. and it would be perfect to use your real name and say it is a fake one.
This episode, though not my favourite, was absolutely necessary. Glad Sarah gave Chuck the kick in the behind by revealing her real name to Shaw first…now Chuck is aware he is losing his Chuck-ness. Looking forward to seeing Chuck become old Chuck again while a great spy and hero too.
Question is: Sarah, obviously hurt, trusted Shaw with her real name of Sam. However, can Shaw be trusted with this knowledge?
Also, 3.09 will have Morgan discovering Chuck’s secret. How will Shaw take that? Will this be a source of potential conflict between Shaw and Sam?
Obviously Shaw is the rebound…but when will Sarah end it? Will it be 3.09 or 3.11? I tend to go with 3.09 because in 3.10, Sarah will have to work alone with Chuck to help Casey, so there has to be a way for Sarah to work closely with Chuck without upsetting Shaw too much…
Well I was sought of chuck only fan, so I like to response to some questions you have highlighted suppose the reason why the chuck world is troubled and annoyed coz we look at this problem in one side partial angle only. But how will the things be if we look at these events in agent SHAW’S perspective.
Shaw is directly responsible for what’s happening for Sarah and Chuck. Before Shaw became part of the team, chuck, Sarah and Casey had a good strategy and they executed the plans well so they were almost successful in each and every mission. But since the day Shaw took over the driving seat we see a drastic difference in the life of Chuck and Sarah. Before Shaw arrived I can’t remember any mission with chuck only or any dangerous mission like what we saw in 3*03, 3*04, 3*07and 3*08.
*I’M PRETTY SURE THAT SHAW IS A DOUBLE AGENT, SO WHEN YOU SAY A DOUBLE AGENT:
1/ they are unusually calm and stable under stress (SHAW IS DEFINITELY A CALM GUY)
2/A double agent is a person who engages in activity for two intelligence or security services (or more in joint operations), who provides information about one or about each to the other (SHAW WORKS FOR THE CIA/NSA AS WELL AS A RING AGENT)
3/unwitting double agent is an extremely rare bird. The manipulative skill required to deceive Agents into thinking that he is serving some secret agency when in fact he is damaging its interests is plainly of the highest order. (SINCE THE DAY SHAW STARTED TO PLAN OUT MISSIONS IT’S SOUGHT OF BIT DOUBTFUL ABOUT HIS ACTIONS HE IS USING CHUCK ON EXTREMELY DANGEROUS MISSIONS TO GO BY HIS OWN,THAT COULD EVEN RISK CHUCKS LIFE)
4/The nature and value of the double agent’s functions depend greatly on his personal ability as well as on his mission for the other service. He can always report on the objectives and conduct of this mission and possibly more broadly on the positive and counterintelligence targets of the other service or on its plans. If he is skillful and well trained, he can do valuable work by exploiting the weaknesses of others: all intelligence officers of any service, despite their training, have some weaknesses (BY REVEALING SARAH’S TRUE IDENTITY, SHE JUST BECAME A VICTIM OF A DOUBLE AGENT,SHAW HAS EXCEPTIONALLY EXPLOITED SARA’S EMOTIONAL WEAKNESS)
5/here is still another important function the double agent can perform? He can provide a channel for a recruitment or defection operation against the other service (NOBODY CAN EXACTLY SAY THE REASON WHY RAFE WAS HIRED. IN THE ROOM HE WAS NOT TRYING TO KILL SHAW BUT SARAH WHO KNOWS WHETHER HIS TARGET WAS HER .SHAW VERY WELL KNOWS BEFORE HE START TO FRAME CHUCK HE MUST ELIMINATE SARAH + CASEY FROM THE SCENARIO .SO MAY BE HE HAD RAFE SET FOR SARAH AND THE TWO STOUT GUYS KNEW WHO CASEY WAS SOMETHING EVEN SARAH AND CHUCK DIDN’T KNOW……..QUITE INTERESTING)
6/Does the adversary trusts him? Indications of adversary trust can be found in the level of the communications system given by him. If the opposition keeps the agent at arm’s length, there is little prospect that him will yield significant returns.( I SUPPOSE THIS IS THE REASON WHY SHAW WAS HITTING ON SARAH IF HE DOESN’T HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH HER THERE’S NOWAY THAT HE CAN USE THE INTERSECT FOR HIS BENEFIT)
BY THESE SIX POINTS I PROVE THAT SHAW IS A DOUBLE AGENT. THOUGH SARAH IS A SPY SHE BECAME A VICTIM FOR SHAW’S CRAFTINESS. AND SHAW IS HANDLING CHUCK THE WAY HE WANTS, EFFECTIVELY FROM HIS PART.BY TRYING TO BE EMOTIONAL INDIRECTLY SARAH IS AFFECTING THE INTERSECT TOO.
NOW THE QUESTION IS
*WHEN SARAH AND CHUCK GONNA REALIZE THAT SHAW IS A DOUBLE AGENT?
*WHAT THEY WILL FEEL WHEN THEY REALIZE THAT SHAW WAS MISLEADING THEM?
*HOW THE BARTOWSKI TEAM GONNA STAND AGAINST SHAW WHEN HE START WORK AGAINST THEM.
THIS IS HOW I SEE SEASON THREE, IF I’M RIGHT ABOUT WHAT I HAVE COMMENTED. TO BE FRANK CUMMING UP EPISODES WILL BE THE BEST OF ALL TIME….AND FOR SURE THESE EVENTS GONNA BRING SARAH MORE CLOSE TO CHUCK….COZ DEALING WITH A DOUBLE AGENT IS A EVENT BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH .
Wow
you really thought that out
reason 2 is just a statement and has no real proof or reasoning behind it.
Reason 5 is not really good either because the gangsters said the target was Shaw and that was the first time sarah was at shaws place so how would they know about her?
nice job
if you can defend your point please do so.
i dont mean this to be Rude either, i just like Shaw.
the episode was not as bad as i was expecting, which all the rumours were hinting were suggesting. The spy stuff was pretty good, it had everything you would expect a chuck mission to have. The only thing that really hurt was sarah telling her name in such a way, i really did think that was a moment that belonged to chuck.
It saddens me to see the once electrifying chemistry between Chuck and Sarah slowly fading away. It also bothers me to see how “easy†Sarah is and how she falls for every guy she works with. Chuck on the other hand is “without knowing it†searching for an alterative to his feelings for Sarah – hence his many short affairs. The thing that really got me in episode 8 was when Sarah told Shaw her “real†name and never trusted her relationship with Chuck enough to share her secret with him. I don’t know how the writers will salvage anything from this – especially when Chuck knows that she told Shaw and not him. I am still amazed that these two threat each other as if they weren’t/aren’t in love. I fully understand that they will not “get together†as most fan want – the story-line of the series would be over. However, the writers don’t have to interject countless love interests to further drive them apart. The series became extremely popular because of the chemistry between Chuck and Sarah and now it seems the show has taken on a completely different direction.
This season Chuck is busy trying to become a super spy and in the process, he is losing his innocence and “nice person†qualities that drew Sarah to him in the first place. The writers this season also have Sarah acting like a dog in heat over almost every guy she works with – breaking the basic rule of the spy world – don’t fall for another spy. Superman knows this rule also, but he and Sarah seem to be at the moment blinded by their lust for each other. I understand he will be in the next 5 episodes – where does that leave Chuck and Sarah? A few tender moments between them would satisfy most fans right now.
I agreed with rgfan, Sarah acting like a dog, cheap, easy to guys that she knows in a short time or hardly knows. Does not reflect her supposed to be intelligent spy. Her behavior in this season embarrass to all women and girls whom fight for equality with dignity. Shane on you Sarah. Your behavior disappointed me.
Chuck sleeps around so much more than Sarah. This is ridiculous claim for equality in which you hold her to a completely different standard than you do Chuck.
I liked Chuck vs the Fake name after my 3rd viewing. However, I just realized Sarah hasn’t won a fight this season. I get that she’s a broken person. But come on, can’t she at least drop one ring agent. I hope the Sarah of the past two seasons makes an appearence soon, I miss her fight scenes.
Lou’s statement, “For Chuck, the game is still so new and his desire to become a spy is so strong that he does not yet see the downside.” That may have been what we saw outwardly at the beginning of this episode, but it seems that Chuck’s emotional conflict was already well underway after lying to Ellie and Morgan and burning Manoosh. Sarah’s emotional revelation to Shaw just brought all of this conflict with who Chuck really is to the surface.
I don’t know if I’m the only one who sensed this, but it seemed to me that Chuck was on the verge of spilling everything, including his spy life, to Ellie. Her guess that the lie he was living was his relationship with Hannah and his continued feelings for Sarah is what pulled him back from the brink.
I am not so much upset at Chuck and Sarah for what they have done as I feel sad for two people who are now so broken and battered emotionally that I wonder how they can ever heal and become whole again. Clearly the price for living a double life is huge. How all this gets resolved will be as interesting as any Ring mission that they might go on.
Sarah and Chuck will get back together in a superficial and meaningless way like everything else Josh Schwartz does. It will just be contrived that they suddenly stop cheating on each other emotionally and all is well and Shaw is yesterday’s diversion.
There is nothing remotely deep about what is going on. Chuck says I love you to a door. Sarah tells her real name to idiotman.
Then they get together in a seemingly dramatic but ultimately shallow manner. Because how can a serial cheater like Chuck and a flusey like Sarah (based on the way they have been portrayed by Josh) have any sort of meaningful relationship.
Blah.
It is an insult to intelligence that people continue to try to buy into this childish stuff.
Calling “SARAH BARTOWSKI”: I’m looking for source material for your statement about Ali Adler revealing “Sam” as Sarah’s real name to a fan, but I’m coming up dry. Please cite source as I’d like to read the text of the quote for myself and see if there’s anything I missed. Thanks!
She said it on Twitter:
I asked Yvonne. She picked it. Has always known SW’s real name RT @PerilinXI: Loved the show tonight! Did u get to pick Sarah’s name? #chuck
One thing drastically missing in Season three is the tender moments we all grew to love in Seasons one and two. When I think about the love between Chuck and Sarah, I think about the scene in Chuck vs. The Best Friend when Sarah thought Chuck was killed in his car taking the bomb away. The horrified look on her face and the tears in her eyes said it all. However, it appears that the writers are now purposely driving them apart. Chuck is too busy trying to become a super spy, and the advancements he makes on the spy ladder only remind Sarah that she is losing the Chuck she initially wanted. I say initially, because I’m not sure anymore. If the writers keep this up, Chuck will be just like the other spies and Sarah will put him in the same category – someone to work and play with, not fall in love with. After episode 8, Chuck will now have to work through the fact that Sarah confided in Shaw and not him. I would have thought that something as sacred to Sarah as her name would have been shared with Chuck – not Superman!
I still enjoy watchig the show, but I dont like the direction it has gone in. All of chuck’s bad decisions do not endear him to me. The reason I liked him as a character, was becasue he was an everyguy joe shmoe with a lot of information stuck in his head, trying to find a way out of a life he did not want that was thrust upon him.
Now he is superagent Chuck, karatechopping his way through the masses, seeking the spy life and acting like a douche and making all the wrong choices. The empathy for him is gone – when he breaks up with hannah, and he walks dejectedly away while Sarah hooks up with YET another co-worker, all I can think of is what a douchebag Chuck has become and how unlikeable he is now. Sarah does deserve better, though I dont really think Shaw is it. Chuck certainly isnt, not as he is now.
Its going to take a hell of a lot of great writing to make chuck endearing to me, but right now, I like him about as much as I liked that smarmy Bryce.
You are right Dran! I think Chuck is acting like a real idiot most of the time and it’s hard to watch him like that. For me, the old Chuck with his naivety and inexperience was much more believable. The theme of him being watched over by Sarah was the bottom line for the success of the series in Seasons one and two. Now, he is driving his only true love away with his new superhero role. I think the writers have their hands full now. They must make some sense out of this mess and show Chuck in a different light. Sarah on the other hand, needs to stop falling for every guy she works with. Her track record should tell Chuck something. I still can’t get over the fact she told Shaw her real name and didn’t care enough for Chuck to share that secret with him. That should also tell him something. Superman (Shaw) is really starting to get obnoxious – come on episode 13.
This “real name” business continues to disturb me more than anything I’ve seen in any episode thus far. I can’t picture a post-reconciliation Chuck saying “I love you, Sam” to Sarah and kissing her. The imgage of what he saw and how he learnt of that name should carry a taint in his mind. To resolve this, at some point either she would have to accept that to him she’ll always be “Sarah”, or she will reveal that “Sam” was the “real” name she revealled for this occasion. Like a good spy, she was resourceful, quick on her feet, and a master at keeping her secrets. This would allow the storyline the “out” of having Sarah reveal her real “real name” to Chuck, perhaps with the birth certificate Graham once mentioned. The actors often learn about their characters when the script arrives. The writers reveal things to fans cryptically. Adler & Strahovsky may be backing the “Sam” story for now, but the writers can keep secrets, too!
Good points Doctor Bob, but I believe that Sarah’s real name is Sam. Why she told Shaw and not our boy Chuck will hopefully be brought out SOON. Sarah is searching and crossing over into new territory and doesn’t really know how to handle it. I think she wants to be a “real†girl and giving up her name is maybe the first in a series of admissions by her. However, I still believe that this secret should have been shared between her and Chuck. It is also hard for me to imagine Chuck and Sarah showing any emotions or tenderness at least in the next few episodes. I would also imagine that he is very hurt!! I think he should call her “Sam†in front of Shaw – we’ll see….
Right on, rgfan. I like the “real girl” referrence (“vs. the Suburbs”: “Watch out Sarah, you might turn into a real girl”) Very Pinocchioesque. I think we’re seeing an amazing amalgam of real emotion and calculated deceit. She wants to be “a real person again” (“vs.Pink Slip”), probably still with Chuck (Carina says she loves him, that’s good enough for me). She never gave back the bracelet which she said should go to “a real girlfriend” (“vs.Santa Claus”) even when it looked as if Chuck had found one in Hannah. But she is parlaying her ability to exploit whatever resources are at her disposal, even her own emotions, into a play at Shaw, to find out his agenda. As he senses and exploits her desire to open up, she plays into his expectaions. She wants to tell Chuck who she is but transfers it to the available Shaw. But giving her real name is more than just a casual confession to her. It is a laying-bare of who she is, almost a surrender of intimacy on par with the sexual. I cannot believe that she would give herself to Shaw in any intimate sense. For that, she was waiting out Chuck with Hannah as she’s done before with Lou and Jill. So far it’s been just a bit of kissy-face with Shaw. If there’s anything more, then I’ll re-assess my position, but for now, this seems right. What do ya think?
Hi everybody..
I’m not sure if I’m posting this on the right board, but it relates to the rest of the season- so here it goes.. I have this habit of re- watching the show, A LOT! so today after watching “Chuck versus the best friend” I had an epiphany (after Morgan explained what it is, i know i have those LOL).. of course by the end of the episode i was upset (understatement..) seeing how our fearless leader and his spy lady used to be (how they should be, and beyond), but then it hit me- do you guys realize just how awesome and sweet it’s going to be when they will do that?! when they will be together????? i know some of you are mad, angry, i even read “betrayed” somewhere, but come on- we all know they’ll be together, which means we all have something to look forward to! i know it’s no news to ANYBODY, but i just realized (again) that Chuck and Sarah have their way to work things out, even without saying too much, even without putting all of the puzzle pieces in place for us (and let’s be honest- where’s the fun in that?!) they work things out in the sweetest way possible- so geometric shapes be damned! they’re going to pull through stronger than ever!
I’ll just say it again, I’m well aware that I didn’t say anything we didn’t know by now.. but if you have the time, especially if you’re one of those pissed- off fans who are considering jumping out the “Chuck” train, go back and watch episodes like “best friend”, or “lethal weapon” etc, just to gain some perspective and re- appreciate the unique relationship between those two.. know that whatever it is you’re so (un)patiently waiting for IS on its way.. and well, if you don’t have the time-make the time!
words are starting to fail me so i’ll just say this- thank god for “Chuck”!
Hey Doctor Bob – I agree with most of what you said about Sarah using Shaw as the most convenient receiver for which to tell one of her secrets. However, this fact only drives her and Chuck farther apart. I assume that one day they will get together again, if only for a brief moment with a few words and/or maybe a kiss. Even that would pacify countless fans. I wonder how the writers will ever create again the chemistry they once shared. We all know that Shaw is leaving during/after episode 13, so obviously his “affair†with Sarah will end, but how will it end? It would be easier on the fan base if she called it quits before that episode – making it her decision and not because he is killed off or whatever. I am still holding out hope that Sarah is just playing Shaw because she doesn’t trust him and wants to get close to find out more. This is my hope, but given her track record, I don’t know. I think we will see Chuck really going down in the next few episodes. He is already questioning everything about his life and if he is made to watch Sarah and Superman go at it for the next five episodes, our boy will be devastated – only making him try harder to become a super spy. Sarah is also questioning her life and we see her pulling in the opposite direction…
Hello again, rgfan. I’m jazzed by your question about C&S finding the old chemistry. Hadn’t thought of how it would happen in terms of chemistry, just in terms of possible scenarios. The metaphysical between C&S is really the road back for them, as it was the the stepping off point way back when. They were seemingly so unalike at first glance, but over time we saw them to be kindred spirits with many things in common; absentee moms, irregular relationships with dad, braniac outcasts in high school. Good people with flaws who saw past them and saw the good in each other and bonded. Now they are both profoundly unhappy. The despair on her face when Rafe Gruber held a gun to her neck said it all. The desolation Chuck feels: Hannah’s gone, Sarah’s gone, Ellie & Morgan are fading fast. Casey’s probably the best friend he’s got right now. Yikes! This provides one great bonding opportunity for C&S. Shaw is not the guy, and the bad chemistry says so. Hannah was cute and nice, but she was no Sarah. The chemistry between C&S has always been palpable, even when she was roughing him up and yelling at him in “the Helicopter”. She’ll have to get over Prague and he’ll have to get over “Sam” & Shaw. How will “Sam” & Shaw end? Hopefully with Chuck’s boot up his rump, and without having to flash!
well ive been thinking
is it still Charah
or is it now Sham
or chuam
Let’s just hope it’s not Suck.
I can´t even describe how much I loved this episode. So many great character moments and I think you described it in your review. My favorite scene is where Chuck says to Ellie that he feels he is living in a lie – a great acting from both of them. And also the end where Chuck dumped Hannah – I had chills, that amazing it was. A great music, too.